Fence-wire tightener.



No. 714,302. Patented Nov. 25; I902 c. w. HUAGLAND.

FENCE WIRE TIGNTENER.

(Application Bled Apr. 7, 1902) [No Modal.)

UNITED STATES ATENT @FFICE.

CHARLES W. HOAGLAND, OF GATES, NEBRASKA.

FENCE-WIRE TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,302, dated November 25, 1902. Application filed April 7, 1902. Serial No. 101,811. (No model.)

To all", whom it may concern: Be it known that I, CHARLES W. HOAGLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gates, in the county of Custer and State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Wire Tighteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers for fences or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a stretcher wherebythe wire of the fence may be conveniently tightened by the manipula tion of a crank-handle.

A further'objectof the invention is to pro- 1 consists in forming a housing to accommodate the gears and the rack-bar and providing an auxiliary frame, which extends outwardly from the housing.

Many other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to, and be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of my invention. Fig.

2 is a side elevation of the same, showing a portion of the housing broken away to further illustrate the details. vertical section of the same on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. a is a detail perspective view of a portion of the housing and the auxiliary frame attached thereto.

The numeral 1 indicates a housing in which is mounted a shaft 2, carrying apinion 3, and meshing with the pinion is a master gearwheel 4, which is mounted on a shaft 5. On

the shaft 5 is also rigidly fixed a ratchet-wheel 6, engaged by a pawl 7, suitably mounted in the housing 1.

A rack-bar 9 is suitably guided in the housing 1 and is provided on its under side with a Fig. 3 is a transverse groove 10, in which are formed gear-teeth 11, with which the teeth of the master-gear 7 mesh, and to hold the rack-bar in contact with the gear to insure positive action 1 provide a friction-roller 12, mounted on a subshaft mounted in the housing 1. Owing to the necessary frictional contact at this pointthat is, between the roller and housinga wearing-plate 13 is seated in the bar. Said plate may be replaced when it becomes worn.

An auxiliary frame 15 extends outwardly from the housing 1, this frame consisting of three bars 16, 17, and 18, the middle one, 18, being parallel with the rack-bar 9,and exten ding outwardly from said rack-bar is a guideeye 19, through which the middle bar 18 of the auxiliary frame passes. At the outer end of the auxiliary frame is a plate 20, having an eye 21, engagedibya chain,rope, hook, or the like whereby the stretcher is made fast to one of the posts forming the fence. At the opposite end of the bar 9 is a staple or the like for securing the end of the wire to be stretched.

Ofcourse it will be understood that I may use any convenient device for holding the end of the wire, or, as I have shown in the drawings, it may be twisted totemporarily held during the stretching operation.

The frame-bars 16, 17, and 18 are attached at their outer ends to the plate 20 and at their inner ends to the housing 1 in any convenient way, preferably by having their ends bent either to form eyes or hooks for connection with the parts 1 and 20, as found most advantageous.

The parts thus assembled the operation is substantially as follows: The frame is securely fastened by the chain to the post and the wire is fastened to the staple at the end of the bar 9, whereupon the operator turns the crank 22, which revolves the pinion 3, hence the) gear-wheel 4, which imparts motion to the rack-bar 9, the pawl 7 preventing the bar moving under the tension of the wire being tightened. By reason of thepinion 2 being so much smaller than the gear-wheel 4 very little efiort is necessary to impart motion to the bar 9 in order to obtain sufficient force to stretch the wire. The friction, therefore, is reduced to a minimum. It requires very little force at the handle to impart the re quired pull on the bar 9, and as the latter is positively held in contact with the gear-Wheel 4 by the friction-roller 12 and as it is guided on the bar 18 of the auxiliary frame it is evident that the bar can only move in a direct line, and by reason of the braces 16 and 17 being arranged to support the bar 18 the parts become rigidly placed and strengthened.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a wire-stretcher having the necessary requirements of strength and durability and one possessing many advantages over the present state of the art, and it is thought the operation and merits of the same will be fully comprehended by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a housing, a shaft, a pinion on the shaft, a master-gear, a rackbar engaging the master-gear, means for pr venting the backward movement of the bar, an auxiliary frame extending from the housing, and an eye on the bar which engages the auxiliary frame, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a housing, gearing mounted in the housing, a rack-bar, an eye on the rack-bar, an auxiliary frame extending from the housing, said frame comprising a center bar, braces above and below the center bar and a plate connecting the bars at the outer ends, the eye on the rackbar engaging the center bar, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. IIOAGLAND. [L. s] Witnesses:

N. T. GADD, J. B. HOAGLAND. 

